The versatility of certain earthworking vehicles, such as wheel loaders, has given rise to the need for quick disconnect and attachment mechanisms whereby various work implements may be attached to the vehicle. For example, the scope of work tasks performed by a wheel loader is greatly increased when it is adapted for use with a multiplicity of work implements. Typical vehicles of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,243,066; 3,417,886; 3,543,863; and 3,760,883.
The popularity of such vehicles is primarily due to the fact that they can be expeditiously transported between job sites for application of alternate work implements thereon. Such versatility greatly increases the overall utility and productivity of the vehicles to thus substantially increase their economic worth. Conventional disconnect and attachment mechanisms for such vehicles are normally complicated, require special tooling and skills and oftentimes further require additional frame structures which substantially increase the dead weight at the front of the vehicle.